rock removal ideas?

[flINTLOCK]

I was going to try herding the rocks with the rake like that, but didn't think it would work. Going to start working the foodplots next week. I'm sure numerous rocks have sprouted since the fall. I'll give it a try with the rake. Might be easier than skimming them with the box blade.

[slowzuki]

There is a great post about a several acre commercial site in Halifax, Nova Scotia that the owner wanted rock free to a depth of 2 feet or something like that. The contractor ended up lowering the entire site by 4 feet or something and only had 6" of rock free soil.

[Mike_Kanzer]

We built a horse riding ring last year and had a 10" layer of compacted screenings (Crushed stone dust) put over the compacted subsoil. This was followed by the sand layer for riding. The compacted stone is used specifically to prevent upward migration of rocks from the subsoil layer in to the riding surface. It is extremely effective but very costly. I think without something between the dirt and sand you will always have rocks migrating to the surface especially after a freeze thaw cycle. It takes alot of screenings to do this and some ring contractors use only a 6" layer. Our ring (80' x180') took 28 triaxle dump truck loads of stone to achieve a 10" layer. Just my two cents, but that is how rings are constructed in southeastern PA.

[highplanesdrifter]

Another way ...

Golf course construction (200-400 acres) requires rock-free soil to a substantial depth to protect mowers and aeration equipment.

I believe that they rent an industrial screener which they park in one place, scrape and truck the topsoil to it, feed it with a rented conveyer, then truck it back and spread it ... they must do some other conditioning, because rocks don't pop up by the zillion out of northern latitude courses, even after decades of existence ...

use a few screens and recycle and you can get it as fine as you'd like ... the stuff is rentable, because course architects sure don't own and trailer them around the countryside ... perhaps if there's an off-season rate it could make sense for the farm ... [golf course architects/shapers would know where to find them, and the expected rates]

won't work for an acre or two, but probably worth the while for a larger area ...

Of course, 5-gal buckets have their own charms, but I've never been able to find the 5 willing gals!

John

[AchingBack]

They aren't cheap, but I believe the most efficient way to clear lots of rocks is with a skeleton bucket. Skeleton Buckets

[4720 OWNER]

My tractor tires used to be wet on bottom sides, but that stopped when the neighbors dogs were broke of that habit. At least they got cleaned off.

Have windrowed rock with a landscape rake, seemed like the faster you could go the better they were pulled and tossed out to the side. The downside was in a rough field after a couple hours it took several barley pops to find the kidney i thought i had lost. Sometimes can just windrow them over to the nearest fence line and 'temporarily' park them there.

The field was the leftover from a glacier (moraines). Guess the ice did not want all the rocks either.

[kelliechavez]

There is a machine out on the market now that can and will clear your field for you. Screens material down to 3/8s minus if you would like.

Website: ridoroc.com

[Renze]

Originally Posted by AchingBack

They aren't cheap, but I believe the most efficient way to clear lots of rocks is with a skeleton bucket. Skeleton Buckets

These are quite common in Holland, used in demolition. Used on excavators as well as loaders. The problem is that when you shake the bucket to let the dirt fall out, often the rocks bounce out too. A better way to sieve material is a rotating mill, but those arent suitable to demolish things because they're not strong enough. Mostly the skeleton bucket is used for large parts, and the actual demolition, then the rotating variants are used for final site cleanup.

Originally Posted by kelliechavez

There is a machine out on the market now that can and will clear your field for you. Screens material down to 3/8s minus if you would like.

Website: ridoroc.com

This remembers me of a machine invented by an irishman, pictured in a paper a few years ago. The guy grew potatoes on rocky ground. He used a machine like this, which was based on an existing potato digger: It used an excavating conveyor that dumps material on a screen, to put the large particles (rocks, weeds) under the dirt.
The dirt that fell through the digging conveyor, was catched by a rubber conveyor to be placed on top.

Also, a few months ago someone posted pics of a similar design in the "build it yourself" section of this website.

[Eaglebait Ranch]

Hey Guys, interestingly, this is my very first post to TBN. I have been like a sponge, absorbing so much awesome information on the various threads I have read.

Rocks are something my wife and I deal with on our 20 acre spread. I think we have close to 70 rock jacks on our place (averaging 36" in diameter) which we use for fencing issues.

On the topic of collecting small rocks......... Either Susan or I drive the tractor, while the other one scoops up those smaller rocks with what I will call a pitch fork (but with a lot more teeth on it), and tosses them into FEL.

In either case, drivin' or scoopin' I have my mp3 player on - listening to jazz or blues in the process.

My newest threat to society is a 240 volt mig welder, to go along with a used stick welder I got last year. I welded 25-30 years ago and am trying to get some of that skill back. Yes, I can weld. No, I am not a welder.......

Anyway, I have now made my first post. The stress is off......... again, an awesome group of people here.

Chuck
Klamath Falls, Oregon

[Eaglebait Ranch]

After I saw the post I made, under my name, picture, I noticed it says I have 7 previous posts. I wonder what kind of monkey juice I was on when I wrote those because I sure don't remember them. Oh, well!

My wife and I have a small flock of colored wool sheep. I like sheep as a source to keep grasses down, as a fire protection. Susan washes, spins, and works with the wool.............. We have had as many as 40 grass maggots, but we are down to 2 right now because I am redoing fences and pastures.

Have you ever needed to say you "knew someone who ________" you fill in the blank? Well, you can now say that you "know someone who owned Raymond Burr's (Perry Mason/Ironside) prize colored ram".

So that I don't get gigged for gettin' off topic, if Home Depot ever decides to market rock jacks, I can undercut any price they want to advertise - I have that many rock jacks "in waiting".

Chuck
Klamath Falls